Another Departure from the 'Raven'
July 13, 1865
A trail of teenage boys carrying luggage followed Lord Airthrey this afternoon as he appears to have moved out of Morrigan's Raven and into the Buffalo Rose. It appears that the list of people unhappy about Colonel McCormick's recent choice to ban Coloured folk is growing.When a former Confederate Lieutenant Colonel decides that the Raven is not the place for him it leaves us wondering just how successful Colonel McCormick's new policy is going to be.
Cattle Drive?
July 9, 1865
Thousands of cattle were seen being herded away from Lago by the Colonel's man Jeb Blair. One wonders why so many are being taken from their home and where they're going. Seeing so many being driven out can't be good. More to the point, when's that handsome ranch hand coming back?Lessons Learned?
July 9, 1865
It would seem that Mr. Ben Wade's level of moral decadance has finally caught up with him. Sources at the Morrigan's Raven report that the fight leading to Mr. Wade's ejection from the establishment had something to do with the man's treatment of a good Christian woman, Miss Aine O'Hicks, recently arrived in town.Mr. Wade took advantage of the poor Miss O'Hicks tragic injury to her ankle to carry her into that most infamous house of sin called the Scarlet Thread and, what's worse, abandon her there in the company of unscrupulous men and fallen women!
The fight apparently broke out when Miss O'Hick's fiance, Mr. Malachi O'Conner, a bartender at the Raven heard this news and attempted to escort Mr. Wade from the bar for being disrespectful to women. Mr Wade struck the first blow, but with the correcting hand of righteous guidance and protection of the innocent, Mr. O'Conner was able to subdue to the depraved Mr. Wade and left his unconcious form resting outside on the street.
We cannot help but thank Providence for such guardians of women's honour as Mr. O'Conner, and are certain that the hand of God was with him considering his obvious disability. Perhaps Mr. Wade will have learned his lesson to leave the good God-fearing women of Lago alone and will change his ways? Only time will tell...
Even looser Morality Spread to the Ranches
Finally in the saga of the immoral Sheriff and actress it seems that not only did the former Sheriff and retired Federal Major, J.E. Duniway die in M.J. McCormick's house, but McCormick and the much younger Von Schtupp woman have declared themselves to be married under the Common Law tradition. Why isn't a church good enough for them? Or is there some other reason why they won't openly disclose this "marriage"?
Loose Morality Spreading to the Ranches
It seems the town is not the only place that immorality is spreading. Though that it is rampant at the ranches is far from a surprise.For one Miss Caroline Whitaker kissing on the street is not the only thing she does these days. Rumor has it that she was seen leaving town with her latest prey Joshiah Yates. Our sources say they left town to head to the bunkhouse at the Square A ranch and did not return until the next day.
Has Miss Caroline actually become the wife of Mister Yates and just not informed the rest of the town or has she decided her room at the Gazette isn't as comfy as those provided to ranch hands? I believe she should give up her facade and take up her proper residency at the brothel outside of town.
Immorality Spreads to Duniway's Boarding House
With an overabundance of liquor and loose women, we expect immoral behavior at saloons and whorehouses. We had hoped, however, that the Duniway's Boarding House for Women would be a safe haven for the good, single Christian women of Lago.But it seems all it takes is one rotten apple to "soil" the whole barrel. Tessa Parsons, who only recently moved to Lago and works for Colonel M.J. McCormick, was caught trying to sneak a man into her room at the boarding house Wednesday evening. The man, whose identity is not known, was tossed out, and rightfully so.
Unless the man was forcing Miss Parsons, and eyewitnesses who saw them earlier in the evening gave no indication that he was forcing her to do anything she didn't want to do, the proprieters of the boarding house should do their Christian duty to protect the good women who live there and evict her immediately.
The Colonel and the Actress
Colonel M.J. McCormick has been seen around town in the company of one Lili Von Schtupp, a local actress. Acting is not exactly a profession known for its morality, nor is an actress an appropriate match for a former officer. Then again, as recent events have made clear, Colonel McCormick is not exactly an upstanding citizen himself. However, as inappropriate as the match appears, it may at least not be sinful since some townspeople have reported seeing a ring on the Colonel's hand. Though as rumors fly from the recent funeral of Major Duniway, there is grave doubt anything the man says or does is suspect.The White Women are Not Good Enough?
When local rancher Joe Roland was recently appointed Deputy Marshal, it was hoped he could bring some decency and order back to Lago. It seems, however, that Marshal Roland is instead being corrupted by some of the more disreputable citizens of Lago.He has recently been seen going to the upstairs rooms in Morrigan's Raven with a local Mulatto woman, whose identity is as yet unknown, and not coming down until morning. Apparently Marshal Roland has a completely inappropriate taste for darker women, as he has also been seen around town with one Chiane Thompson, a negro who works at the Scarlet Thread in an unkown capacity.
We can only hope that some good, Christian, white woman can help the peace keeper see the error of his ways, and that Miss Thompson and the Mulatto woman remember their place. Otherwise, this town may be doomed to be the next Sodom or Gamorrah.
Den of Sin Claims Another Innocent Soul
We all had such high hopes when that young Miss Bridget Dugan came to town; what was a nice girl like that doing taking a job as a maid at the Scarlet Thread?? There were so many more upstanding families who would have gladly taken her into the embrace.Sadly, that spider Lydia Taylor, madam of that most scandalous house has turned the young woman's soul over to the devil himself, for word has it that she is no longer cleaning rooms for the soiled doves but has taken a room of her own. We pray that she would see the error of her ways and break away from the clutches of sin but instead she was only pulled down further into that wicked way of life.
In taking the path she has chosen she broke at least one good man's heart. We the ladies of Lago beg of you, Miss Dugan to see the error of your ways, repent, and take the hand of a good man instead of the trodding this path that will only lead you to pain and heartache.
Loose Morals the Normalcy in Our Town?
In a gratuitous display of public affection, the new Gazette editor, Miss Caroline Whitaker, was seen kissing a common ranch hand by the name of Josiah in the middle of the street last Wednesday. If Miss Whitaker's behavior is any indication of the morals of the Gazette, who knows what filth will be printed in that paper now.Loose morals are already spreading through town, in fact, as another local resident, Mr. Ben Wade, had the unconscionable temerity to ask the town's new nurse, Rose Jamison, to live in the same house with him. When Miss Jamison understandably asked Mr. Wade if he was proposing marriage, he actually said no! What could he have possibly been thinking?
His Lordships Night Out
Rumor has it that one Miss Lydia Taylor and the Lord Adrian Raleigh were seen leaving the brothel at an ungodly hour last night.Where were they going? Our sources say they went into the Chinese Slums where they were seen slipping into the House of Lui.They emerged hours later both stumbling and glossy eyes. One has to wonder if that is the way a Lord is suppose to act. Running out to the brothel every night and now taking the women to partake of opium. Now we see the way he decided to celebrate his groundbreaking. Not with a ceremony that would involve the whole town but with a night spent in the arms of a doped up whore.
The Colonel lives where?
Since becoming the "Sheriff", M.J. McCormick seems to have found a habit of sleeping around the town. First it was said that he lived in the back of the Jail, then he was seen going in and out of the brothel at all hours, rumor has it that he was "renting" a room there, perhaps with the Madam of the establishment. Then he was seen going into a certain young woman's room at the Trails End night after night. At first he took pains to avoid any suspicion, then he and the young woman in question, a Lili Von Schtupp began to openly live with one another, some say she even took his name.
Sheriff by dictate?
How did M.J. McCormick, late of the Confederate States Army become Sheriff? Rumor is that one night he declared himself to be Sheriff, walked into the Lago Jail on Lower Main and just decided to take over the reins of the office. It is true though that on 6 June the "Sheriff" did bring a man to justice over a violent robbery at the den of iniquity south of Lago.